Wallingford mayor calls for 2.59 percent budget hike

WALLINGFORD — Mayor William Dickinson Jr. is proposing a $145.11 million budget for the town, a $3.66 million, 2.59 percent increase from this year.

Under the proposal presented Monday, the tax rate would rise to 25.98 mills, an increase of 0.76 mills, or 3.01 percent. The average homeowner, with a house assessed at $191,000, would see their property taxes increase by $145.

“The issue is what level of services do we want and what is the cost?” Dickinson said.

He cut $1.56 million from requests made by town department heads.

Dickinson trimmed the $90.18 million education budget request by $610,000. Last year, the mayor cut the school budget by $4.8 million.

Superintendent of Schools Salvatore Menzo and the Board of Education chairwoman, Roxane McKay, couldn’t be reached Monday for comment.

One twist is a plan to remove emergency medical services from the Fire Department budget. By doing so, the mayor said, the town would be able to increase staffing for emergency medical services and improve service.

The new emergency medical service transport division would have a dedicated revenue source: fees paid by those using ambulance services and their insurance companies.

Dickinson said to ensure that the funds remain separate, the Town Council would have to set up an ambulance enterprise fund and move to what Comptroller James Bowes termed “a more aggressive collection” of fees from those using the service.

Republican Councilman John LeTourneau said his initial reaction to the mayor’s budget is positive.

“On the surface, I like what I see,” LeTourneau said. “As an enterprise fund, the (ambulance) service would be self-funded.”

Call Luther Turmelle at 203-789-5706. Follow him on Twitter @LutherTurmelle. To receive breaking news first, text the word NHNEWS to 22700. *Msg+data rates may apply. Text HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel.

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